This game follows the plot of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” as Harry and his pals prepare for dark sorcery from without (the rise of Voldemort) and from within (just who is “the Half-Blood Prince?”) Players duel with wizards, mix potions, fly on a broom in a Quidditch match, and even take a detour into romantic subplots. It is available on Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC and Macintosh. Launch date: Sept. 30, 2009.

Every kid has said to friends “Let's start a band.” This game delivers on that, even if there isn't a garage to play in. From AC/DC to The Who, players take turns on guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals, covering 84 favorite songs. Online features enable people to form bands from across the globe. The game has broadened since its initial release with downloadable songs and a thriving Internet community. Launch date: December 18, 2008.

The simulation game introduces a cast of whimsical characters while delivering creativity, customization and classic open-ended game play. Players build towns, grow communities and discover new worlds. This product won a 2008 iParenting Media Award. Launch date: September 2007.

For the first time in 10 years, the Madden NFL Football franchise has revolutionized its passing game-giving Madden NFL 06 the most groundbreaking and innovative offensive arsenal ever created. The new QB Vision Control lets you scan the field, look off defenders, and make perfect throws within your quarterback's unique field of vision. QB Precision Placement lets you put the ball exactly where you want it. Madden NFL 06 brings authentic NFL passing to video games like never before.

The sequel to 2004´s racing game of the year, Burnout Revenge straps gamers into the fastest, most dangerous racer on the road, where the only rule is complete automotive anarchy. Built for unprecedented destruction, Burnout Revenge challenges gamers to exact their revenge on rush hour traffic, vindictive rival racers and anything else that gets between them and the finish line. Featuring multi-level tracks designed for fighting, wicked vertical takedowns, explosive new crashbreakers, new gameplay modes and wide open "crash courses" for epic crash sequences that put Hollywood to shame, Burnout Revenge redefines speed and aggression for the ultimate in vehicular combat.

Battlefield 2: Modern Combat features a propaganda-fueled single-player campaign where gamers see both sides of a conflict in one of the most treacherous regions in the world: Kazakhstan. Gamers will plunge headlong into the fog of war and must ultimately choose sides in a furious showdown where nothing is as it seems. The game also delivers the Battlefield franchise´s trademark multiplayer action, delivering fierce 24-player online battles. Fighting for one of 4 sides -- the US, the European Union, the Chinese, or the newly formed Middle East Coalition -- players armed with the latest modern weaponry can choose to control any of the 30+ vehicles in the game.

The latest in the Harry Potter series for Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox is based on the third book (and movie). Players encounter new characters and creatures, engage in a variety of subquests, fly on a Hippogriff, explore previously unseen areas of Hogwarts and take on their friends in multiple two-player challenges, as they partake in the most exciting and challenging Harry Potter video game adventure yet.

This expansion pack to “The Sims 2” PC game allows players to live out their ultimate college fantasy. It introduces a new young adult stage of life, four new career paths, eleven majors and over 125 new objects. Players can join secret societies, pledge fraternities and sororities, and try to make it into a rock band.

The king of all sports games makes its yearly bid for sales supremacy. Historically, the Madden series basic play level has always been easy for beginners, and offers slightly more challenging modes for true football fanatics. Expert players can use the dynasty mode to build their own franchise into a Super Bowl contender. With football replacing baseball as America’s number one sport, expect Madden 2005 to fly off the shelves through the end of the NFL postseason. (PC, GC, PS2, XBOX; $46.95; Rated E for Everyone)